Jul 18, 2009

I'm Forever Yours Faithfully....

'Brings back memories whenever the band, Journey, sings this song...

Yet, it couldn't stop me to wonder what had happened when the Juan-Galvin campaign manager jumped over the other party's fence, so I've heard and read. This makes me think, is the Heinz-Arnold tandem sure that the island's Republicans will really go and vote for them? Or, how are they going to know for sure that the Juan-Galvin supporters will have their votes this coming elections?

As we've said before, if the islands want the current administration to change, why divide the opposition?

I personally see that the green color will still be the fad this year. Of course, I could be wrong too...

SMD you're correct in your assessment. The Covenant Party is the team to reckon with. It should be noted that changing of the guards in the middle of the economic instability and downturn will be more chaotic.

Saipan Middle Road -- I hope you don't mind me posting some quotes that came from various individuals commenting on Wendy Doromal's website. I just thought they might be relevant here too.

***

"Being an incumbent doesn't automatically mean you are that steady hand that is needed. Being an incumbent doesn't mean you are a man of integrity."

**"That steady hand you speak of has been guiding the CNMI into the worst situation it has been in the last 30 years."**"We need a real leader to take the helm and turn this ship around. A real leader with integrity that awards people based on merit not on political favors." **

"VOTE FOR FITIAL IF YOU LIKE:

1. a know-it-all dictator who does not respect the law, legislature or people. No siree, only King Fitial knows what is good for the CNMI.

2. a power-hungry manipulator in charge who will cut hours and jobs and at the same time spend on ridiculous lawsuits.

3. side deals with Koreans investors

4. no integrity, lots of schemes

5. someone who will drain the coffers to promote his agenda whether endorsed by the people or not...

15. special legal counsels up the yin-yang, including the last legitimately-confirmed AG we ever had who stepped down not even a year ago, and two highly questionable, not-so-free "volunteer" attorneys

17. capital improvement projects stagnating, and very little infrastructure spending/development to speak of (how the heck ARE we going to spend all this free money? too bad we have to account for it...)

18. surrounded by former Tan employees

19. misplaced loyalty

20. lies with a scary Cheshire cat smile

21. Willens and Siemer

22. Cinta

23. CHC fiasco

24. getting fired for being "disloyal" to the Covenant party

25. being forced to hire and/or work among politicos who have no qualifications to speak of other than being related to fitial or his cronies AND who might also be convicted felons

26. never getting your rightful merit increase no matter how long and how hard you have worked, or how competent you are -- and then seeing unqualified political hires START above your civil service salary

27. worrying about furloughs... even as government hiring of nonessential (political) hires continues

28. Sleaze -sick of the prostitution and the sleazy clubs.

29. waste of money for trips, trips, trips

30. turns eye to and even supports fake schools' "

***Note: The list above came from many different individuals. It is by no means exhaustive.

Real Local -- LOL. "Who gives a fuck about Wendy?" Talk about trying to change the subject.

And the subject is this 2009 gubernatorial election, and whether or not this community is sane enough to elect a new and (hopefully) better governor.

Newsflash: there are MANY people (including other "locals" just as "real" as you, but hopefully not as stupid) who are fed up with this incompetent, dictatorial, fear-mongering, lying administration, for many many serious and valid reasons. Only 30of them have been listed by only a few of those angry voters. There are many other reasons to throw Fitial and all his cronies OUT of office once and for all.

To all those voters who feel pressured to vote for Fitial because he gave you or a family member a job, and to all those voters who feel you should vote for Fitial because you think he wants to give you a homestead: Remember, you have a secret ballot. Take the job. Take the homestead. Then draw that curtain and secretly THROW THE RASCALS OUT!!!!

Heinz will make a great governor when elected in 2013. I voted for him in 2005.

But this year we need the political maturity and courage to stay the course, to re-elect an incumbent governor for the first time since 1985.

One of the CNMI's biggest problems is social and political instability.

We vote like we work and like we play poker.

We want instant riches, instant promotions (or even better, starting at the top), instant political solutions.

For the most part, we as a society haven't been willing to do the slow, unglamorous, steady work (day-in, day-out, without phony sick days or unexcused absences), persistently doing what needs to be done in our work lives, our financial lives (personally & collectively), and our political lives.

During these times of adversity, while not exactly having triumphed, Ben and Eloy have “brought us safe thus far.”

Ben & Eloy? Two second-stringers. Eloy is second stringer to Tim V., who was indicted and convicted for the type of rampant thievery this administration is known for. Ben is second stringer for JuanPan, since even Willie doesn't believe Ben can win.

Yes, one of the CNMI's biggest problems has been social and political instability. Largely due to horrible leadership, Fitial & Co. included.

Yes, you are right that the CNMI has not elected an incumbent governor in a long, long time. For good reason -- mostly because the incumbents didn't deserve a second shot. Fitial does not deserve a second shot.

CNMI voters might not elect the best leaders, but that's mostly due to lack of decent choices. We are very good at throwing the incumbent bastards out, however.

Some people want instant riches, instant promotions, or instant political solutions. But mostly people want true leaders. Fitial is not a true leader. And if history is any lesson, we'll change him out like we changed out all the other govs, and keep doing that till we find a real leader.

Someone who inspires us. Or at least won't lie to us.

Someone who makes us believe in a better CNMI. Or at least doesn't make us hate living here.

I don't know which society you are referring to, Noni, but the CNMI society I know includes many hardworking and honest citizens who are perfectly willing to do the slow, unglamorous, steady work that needs to be done for the sake of our families and community. And they are not just willing -- they do it, day in and day out.

It is a greater testament to the resilience of the CNMI people that we have survived these times of adversity thus far. I find it amazing every day that there are no riots in the streets yet, no mass public protests, alarming outbreaks of crime. Societies have crumbled, exploded, or imploded under less pressure.

We are a patient people. Perhaps too patient. Fitial does not deserve any credit for that, let alone a second term.

If you vote for Fitial, you deserve the misery and suffering caused by an inept and ineffective dictator who serves master Willie Tan and his faithful cohorts but neglects the poor people of the Marianas.

Fitial should start praying for mercy from God. His soul is doomed to hell for all the deceit and lying and cheating he has done to his people. May the Lord God have mercy on his corrupt soul.

Even the former Ombudsperson is no longer flaunting the “instant solution” of a flashy workers' march with Tina. Instead he is now doing the diligent and mostly behind-the-scenes work of an AUSA. That's what we, the people need to do and are doing in our support of Ben and Eloy.

It's not about our personal jobs, but it is about our economy and our resilience as a people.

Anyone presuming to condemn Ben to hell does not reflect the values of, or truly understand, the people of the Marianas. You are not God!

Ban is not standing up to the feds so that we can retain our ability to allow tourist from China and Russia to enter the CNMI under locally controlled immigration. He is fighting tooth and nail to retain his grip on cheap foreign guest workers who keep the minimum wage artificially depressed and prevent us citizens from securing entry level jobs and maintain a living in the CNMI.

Even if he succeeds in altering the federal takeover the best he can hope for is a delay and then the ability to keep bringing in guest workers. He concedes that the Federal Government has the right to implement immigration controls over the tourist we have been allowing to come in.

Shame on you, anonymous poster, for not doing your homework before praising a greedy governor who only wants to ensure his cash cow (the guest worker system) is not harmed.

Luckily, the 20, white, always-dissatisfied-because-they-are-not-in complete-control complainers who post here are not in control of the CNMI's elections. Cooler heads, with far more hair on them, will prevail and the process will choose someone who can take the reins and try to steer this horse around a track rigged by the US to cause failure so they can step in and screw over the indigenous here as they have done everywhere else they have ever gone.

Ben and Eloy may just be the best team advanced so far, to accomplish something positive for the people of the CNMI even in the face of the US attempted coup here. Let's hope so.

For certain we don't need 4 years of kowtowing to the Feds as the last chances for real meaningful self rule vanish under a pall of US Militarism and it's land and population control needs. That rules out the rest of the current crop of candidates.

Hooray Ben and Eloy, or anyone else who will try to fight back against the colonizers.

For those who haven't noticed, it takes money to keep our economy afloat.

So maintaining Labor's local control of current guest workers, so we can keep our private sector and government finances in order, is heroic, not shameful.

The artificial minimum wage is coming from the feds -- what is it in the Marshalls, FSM, and Palau? So how is the fed wage sustainable for us? A high minimum wage doesn't help me if I lose my job. Duh.

Also, your "clairification" is wrong -- no matter what, the feds will take control of new arrivals at the border, starting November 28, 2009. No one is fighting that.

"the 20 white always-dissatisfied-because-they-are-not in complete-control-complainers-who post here...." LOL..... :)Someone is feeling insecure.One wonders if the 20 were in complete control...what would this island really be like? LOL!

Last night after reading all the negative comments toward this administration. I decided to think about the positive things done by this government. After some thinking I could only come up with the Aggreko contract and how it helped stave off the load shedding debacle we had to suffer under. Then I remembered that the generator sets were shipped out of Hong Kong on a shipping line owned by Willie Tan...then where the Aggreko employees are staying?... and then.... there I was back to all the negative crap this governor has pulled off and who has put money into their bank accounts from all the backroom single source dealings.

Sorry 5:59 noni... Juan Pan is a failed businessman similar to many of the "Special Assistants" to the Gov. Look at the Retirement Fund under his watch. He committed political suicide when he announced there will be a stop on(as of Sept 1) all refunds to those leaving Gov service asking for their portion of compulsory payments. Imagine the problems PSS,CUC,DPW,AG's office and more importantly CHC recruiting depts will now have trying to get qualified people out here? Would you sign a contract when it states compulsory Retirement Fund payments and then it states you will not be able to get your refund when your contract is completed? There is a serious shortage of qualified doctors, nurses,teachers, and lawyers in all areas of government service. This dumb move will just make it worse. Uncle Joe? Well just as the song says..."Uncle Joe, he went out to buy a lake" Do we need another above the law looney tunes Lt. Gov. with a "self perceived aristocratic chamorro pedigree"?

heinz and aronold don't need tan's money because rex palacios stole a shitload of money from the micro games and the pacific gardenia...and cpa. btw, what happened to those airport generators under your watch, sexy rexie?

Juan Pan's ban on retirement contributions is foolish (and probably illegal), but it will not hurt PSS, CUC, DPW, OAG, and CHC recruitment.

Under Fitial's Defined Contribution Plan, new recruits since 2006 contribute to separate, portable, individual accounts whose employer contributions vest or not according to statutory terms: 25% after 2 years, 50% after 3 years, 75% after 4 years, and 100% after 5 years. 1 CMC § 8464(b).

It is only the longer-term employees whose Defined Benefit Plan withdrawal refunds are at risk, not new recruits in the Defined Contribution Plan.

or, open up a lot of government positions thinking he's going to win the elections. the law is clear, anyone who resigns and withdraws his/her retirement contributions is prohibited from being rehired or employed by the cnmi government for a period of six months. the new administration takes the oath of office in january... exactly six months from now. or, four months after the september 1, 2009 cutoff date for employees wishing to lump sum their retirement contributions (for a period no more than 15 years).

Interesting comment about Juan Pan the glorious benifactor of the Retirement Fund. As a matter of fact there are a number of gov employees leaving gov service beacause of the Retirement Fund threat to stop refund payments on Sept 1 for the "unforseeable future" Some grumblers are complaining there was no public hearing to voice concerns and are talking about a class action suit.

But if you want your issue decided quickly, it makes no sense. And under a federal constitutional tort claim, there are statutory attorneys fees available from the losing defendant. So if the lawyer is confident of the merits of the case, suggesting a class action often means that the lawyer is a money-grubber, putting his own interests above the client's.